KUWAIT: Tenders for the construction of a 165 km metro network are to be called in July, Dr Hussain Al-Sayegh, Chief Consultant at the Kuwait Overland Transport Union, told the Rail Infrastructure MENA conference in Dubai.

The government will finalise its specification for the proposed four-line metro network in the next month. The lines will be tendered as separate projects under a public-private partnership model, with the winners to be announced within six months. Construction will begin in early 2009, and is anticipated to take five years. Around 65% of the network will be elevated, with the remainder underground.

The total cost is estimated at US$11·3bn, which will be funded through a PPP arrangement in which the state will hold a 24% stake and the contractor 26%. The remaining 50% will be raised through an IPO. 'This approach is part of Kuwait's future strategy of using the innovations of private capital for public projects', said Dr Al-Sayegh.

Annual ridership is estimated at 69·1 million passengers.

The government is also developing plans for a national rail network in the emirate. Five passenger and freight lines are under consideration, with a total length of 505·3 km of double track line electrified at 50 kV AC.

East-west routes would link economic centres within Kuwait, a 42.5 km line would serve the airport, a 30 km line the port, and a 244·8 north-south line would connect the Iraqi and Saudi Arabian borders. This would eventually form part of the proposed 2 000 km Gulf rail network linking Iran and the Arabian peninsular.

DVV Rail publications Metro Report International and Railway Gazette International and DVV Media Middle East magazine LOG.Middle East are official media partners of conference organiser Terrapinn.